Automatic printing-machine.



No; 883,421. PATENTED MAR.- 31, 190 8.

F. H. NELSON & L.- BARD.

AUTOMATIOPRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1907,

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' No. 883,421. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908 7 RH. NELSON & L. BARD.

AUTOMATIC PRINTING MACHINE. APPLiGATION FILED MAR.14,'1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK HOFF NELSON AND LEWIS BARD, OF NORMA, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC PRINTING-MACHINE.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Serial No. 362,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK Horn NELSON and LEWIS BARD, citizens of the United States, residing at Norma, in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, have invented certain and useful Improvements in an Automatic Printing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic printing machine for printing labeled and unlabeled canned goods and the like, whereby canners and packers can print their names or any other appropriate matter on canned goods, and the like.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of printing devices of the character referred to so as to be comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture, composed of few parts, and thoroughly reliable and efficient in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a printing device having a type carrying roll arranged in cooperative relation with a feed chute or guide way so that the labeled cans or other objects can be fed successively past the roll to be printed thereby.

A still further object is to provide a printing or marking device in the nature of an attachment for labeling machines already in use for enabling packers or canners to mark labeled canned goods or the like, as occasion requires.

With these objects in view, and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain embodiments of the invention, Figure 1, is the perspective view, of the printing device, in the form of a selfcontained and unitary machine. Fig. 2, is an enlarged perspective view of the printing or marking device in the form of an attachment for use in connection with labeling machines. Fig. 3, is a fragmentary side elevation of a labeling machine showing the marking device attached thereto. Fig. 4, is a side-elevation of the type-carrying-roll with an intermediate portion cut away. Fig. 5, is an end view of the type-carrying roll showing the type in position. Figs. 6 and 7 are front and side elevation respectively of the driving wheel for rotating the type-carrying-roll. Figs. 8 and 9 are front and side elevation respectively of the inking roll, and Fig. 10, is a perspective view of one of the type.

Similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings and more par ticularly to Fig. 1, 1 designates the frame of the machine that is mounted on legs 2, the frame and legs being of approved construction. The frame is provided with vertically extending flanges 3, which form with the top of the frame a guide way through which the cans or other articles to be marked are fed. At the opposite ends of the guide way are chutes 4 and 5, the latter being inclined downwardly toward the frame, one from a point above so as to feed the cans or other objects by gravity while the latter chute is inclined downwardly from the opposite ends to discharge the objects after they have been marked. The chutes are preferably hinged at 6 to the frame 1 so that their angles of inclination may be changed and the chutes are adjustably supported on the brace rods 7, as shown.

On the frame 1, at a point intermediate its ends is a type-carrying-roll 8, so disposed that the type mounted therein will be slightly above the surface 9 of the guide way so as to imprint the objects passed over the roll. Supported at one side of the roll and below the surface 9 is an inking roll 10 having a peripheral contact with the type in the roll 8 so as to be rotated by the type and ink the latter as the roll is rotated. The rolls 8 and 10 have their shafts j ournaled in split bearings 11 and 12 that are supported on springs 13 whose tension can be adjusted by the screws 14, the disposition of the springs being such that the type-roll can yield downwardly as the cans pass thereover when engaging with the type, While the inking roll is yieldingly held toward the type roll. Supported in uprights 15 on the frame and disposed vertically above the type-roll are feed wheels 16 secured to a horizontal shaft 1.7 rotated by the crank 18 or other suitable means. On the shaft 19 of the type-roll is a star wheel 20 having its periphery scalloped on arcs corresponding to'the curvature of the cans or obj ects to be marked. the wheel having the same number of scallops 21, as there are rows of type, and each. row of type being disposed in line with the center of the adjacent scallop.

In operation, the cans or other ob'ects are fed down the chute 4, and move along the guide way formed in the top of the frame 1, and when the first can orobject strikes the star-wheel 20, the movement of the said can assisted by the weight of the cans in the in clined'chute causes the star wheel to rotate so that the latter acts as a driving means for the type roll and through the latter for the inking roll. As the lowermost can is fed under the wheels 16 by the star wheel the said wheels peripherally engage the top of the can and assist in passing the latter over and beyond the type-roll and each can is printed, it being understood that the crank 18 is continuously rotated during the continued. op

eration.

In the form of the printing device, adapted for attachment for labeling machines, the parts are substantially the same as the machine just described, except that the legs and chutes are dispensed with and in place of the legs, the frame is provided with spaced stationary hooks 22, at one side and. an adjustable hook 23, at the opposite side, which is actuated by a screw 24, as shown clearly on page 2. In Fig. 3, the attachment is shown applied. to a labeling machine, such, for instance, as that disclosed in the U. S. Burt Patent, #666491 of January 22, 1901. The attachment designated generally by 25 is mounted on the feed chute 26 of the labeling machine, designated generally by 27, in such a position that the type-roll of the attachment will be directly under the feed wheels 28 of the labeling machine. As the cans 29 are fed down the chute 26, they pass over the type-roll and under the feed wheels 28 and into the labeling machine to be conducted through the same in the usual manner, it being understood, however, that the feed devices of the labeling machine for applying the .labels to the cans are rendered inoperative,

since the conveying mechanism of the machine is simply required during the operation of the printing attachment.

The printing-roll as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and. 5 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 30 for re ceiving the type 31 which may be of any approved character, and adapted to fit in the groove. The circumference of the roll is cut away between each groove so as to be out of the path of the inking roll so as to prevent blurring of the cans. The roll 8 is secured to its shaft in any desired manner and on one end of the shaft is keyed the star wheel 20 which latter is shown more clearly in Figs. 6 and 7.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains and while we have describe-d the principle of operation of the in-- vention together with the apparatus which we now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that the device is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made'when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame having a guide-way for the objects to be printed, a roll disposed under the guide-way and provided with longitudinal and spaced type-receiving grooves, a member rotating with the roll and extending into the guide-way for bringing the objects, one at a time into printing relation with the roll, and means disposed above the roll for feeding the objects past the latter.

2. In a device of the class described the combination-of a structure provided with a guide-way for the objects to be printed, a roll having a plurality of rows of type extending longitudinally thereof, a star wheel at one end of the roll mounted to rotate therewith and adapted to engage with the said objects as they are advanced over the roll, and a mechanism operating on the objects and through the star wheel for rotating the roll.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a way along which the objects to be printed are rolled, a rotatable member, means thereon for holding type, a device connected with the member and arranged to be engaged successively by the objects for rotating the member by the rolling movement of the objects, and an inking roll arranged in cooperative relation on the said members.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guide way through which the objects to be printed are fed, a roll rotatably mounted under the guide way and provided with a plurality of spaced type-receiving-grooves, a star wheel at one end of the roll and connected therewith and located in the path of the objects moving through the Way, and means arranged to cooperate with the said star wheel to feed the objects over the type roll and operate through the star wheel to rotate the roll.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a guide way, a transversely extending type-carrying-roll for printing the objects fed along the way, adjustable cushion bearings for the roll, a star wheel connected with the roll and arranged in the path of the objects to receive rotation therefrom, an inking roll arranged adjacent the typecarry ing-roll, adjustable cushion bearings for the inking roll, a rotatable shaft disposed above the star wheel and type roll, and feed wheels on the shaft for frictionally engaging the objects to feed them over the type roll.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a type carrying roll mounted thereon, means associated with the roll for rotating the same solely by the rolling movement of the objects to be printed, an inking roll rotated by peripheral contact of the type therewith, a feeding mechanism, a way along which the objects are rolled, and a supporting means for the frame.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a labeling machine provided with an inclined chute, of a printing attachment therefor, said attachment comprising a frame, means thereon for detachably supporting the frame on the chute, a type-carrying-roll mounted on the frame in cooperative relation with the chute for printing the objects rolled along the latter, an inking device, a means connected with the type-roll and located in the path of the objects to receive rotation therefrom for actuating the roll, and a feeding device rotatably mounted above said means to cooperate with the latter for conveying the objects over the type roll.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK HOFF NELSON. LEWIS BARD.

Witnesses:

JACOB D. SPIEGEL, j JONATHAN CoNEY. n; 

